Transmission-gearing.



G. WESTINGHOUSE, DECD H. H. WESTINGHOUSE. c. A. TERRY & w. D. UPTEGRAFF. EXECUTORS.

TRANSMISSION GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1913. 1,149,881. I Patented Aug. 10,1915.

2 SHEETS.SHEET I.

TN VEN TOR.

IS ATTORNEY IN FACT G. WESTINGHOUSE, DECD.

em R 0 T U C E X E F F A on G F. T P U D W u Y R R E T Am rm rm 8 U TRANSMISSION GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 29,1913-.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

2 SH ETS-SHE-ET 2.

IN VEN TOR.

Wl TN E H/S ATTORNEY IN FACT separate intermeshing gears-thateach is provided with two sets of axially almed v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, OF PITTSEiTRGI-I, PENNSYLVANIA; HENRY- HERMAN WEST- INGHOUSE, CHARLES A, TERRY, AND WALTER D. UPTEGRAFF EXEGUTORS 0 F SAID GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, DECEASED.

rRANsMIssIoN-eniime.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Application filed November 29, 1918. Serial No. 803,772.

To all tohom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, GEORGE WESTING- resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have made a new and useful Invention 1n Transmission-Gearing, of which the following is a s ecification. I

his invention relates to mprovements in transmission gearing and part cularly gearingadapted to be employed -in the transmission of relatively high power, such, for example, as gearing em loyed in transmitting power trom a tur me or other relatively high speed engine to the propeller shaft of a vessel.

An objectof the invention is to produce an im roved coupling or'coupling means for one oi the gears of the transmission gearing, which will reduce the elastic twist of the gear, due to the transmitted torque, below that encountered under the same conditions with an ordinary form of coupling such as is now employed.

I have found that it is desirable in heavy duty transmission gearing to so formthe gear gear teeth having the same pitch diameter, and spaced apart so that a suppo'rtmgbearingmay be employed between them if desired. Such an arrangement of teeth renders it possible to employ oppositely d1sposed sets of spiral gear teeth on each gear, and, as has been said, an intermediatebearing between the two sets of teeth on the pinion or smaller gear for the purpose of re-, ducing the cross bending strains. Such a construction, however, increases the length of the gears and consequently the tendency ofthe pinion to distort spirally when subjected to torque, and inasmuch as the pinion is usuall of relatively small diameter, an

apprecia le twist may occur under ordinary operating conditions, which would be objectionable, if special means were not employed to compensate for it, or to equalize tooth pressures along the teeth. The equalization or distribution of the tooth pressures along the teeth of the int'ermeshing gears has been effectively accomplished by employing a floating frame, or means permitting the p1n- House, a citizen of the United States, and a secured to thepinion at a ion to move to different angular positions relatively to the axis of its cooperating gear and to thereby automatically equalize or distribute, the tooth pressures along the teeth, during the operation of the mechanism. In such transmission gearing special means are employed, for coupling the pin ion to the driving or the driven agent, so that the pinion is substantially free to move to the diflerent'angular positions; but in all gearing lmown to me the coupling means employed is secured to one end of the pinion, so that the pinion is subjected to maximum elastic twist throughout" its length for each set of conditions encountered.

My present invention contemplates the production of a coupling, means for the smaller gear or pinion, capable of being point intermediate its ends so that the elastic twist of the pinion is reduced below what it would be under the same operating conditions with the pinion provided with an ordinary or usual form of coupling means.

It will, of course, be understood that my invention may be employed in connection with the larger gear of the transmission gearing, although the necessity for such an arrangement will seldom occur, since the greater diameter of the larger gear renders itpossible to so construct the gear that it will not be appeciably or objectionably distorted when subjected to the ordinary torsional stresses encountered during operation. It will also be understood that various changes, substitutions, modifications, and additions may be made in the details of construction and in the arrangement of the apparatus illustrated as an embodiment of my invention, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein described, and as set forth by the claims appended hereto and forming a part hereof.

In the drawings accompanying and form'- ing a part of this application: Figure 1 is a fragmental, sectional plan view of a transmission gearing embodying my invention.

The pinion is shown in section so as to illus-' pling means employed for connecting the pinion to the driving or driven agent with which the transmission gearing is employed; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the gearing illustrated consists of a pinion 4, a gear 5 with which the pinion meshes, a movable frame 6, on which the pinion is journaled,

and a stationary frame 7, on which the frame 6 is mounted and on which the gear 5 is journaled. In Fig. 1 the gear 5 and its mounting frame 7 are shown broken away for convenience of illustration. The pinion 4, as illustrated, consists of a relatively long tubular member provided with two sets of gear teeth 8, which are spaced one from the other, are axially alined, and are similar in allrespects, except that the teeth of one set may be oppositely disposed with relation to theteeth of the other set where inclined or spiral teeth are employed. The gear 5 is also provided with two sets of gear teeth, which are spaced one from the other and each of which is adapted to mesh with one of the separate sets of the teeth 8 of the pinion 4.

The coupling means illustrated consists of a shaft 9 which extends into and through the hollow interior of the pinion 4 and is adapted to be operatively connected, by any suitable means, to the driving agent of the gearing or the agent to be driven therefrom, as the case may be. While the shaft 9 shown, extends entirely through the pinion 4, it is rigidly connected thereto at a point intermediate the ends of the pinion and consequently the torsional deflect of both the pinion and the shaft is reduced.

As shown, the pinion is provided at a point midway between its ends with aninterior shoulder 11 having a tapered face with pin receiving recesses 12 formed there in, and the shaft 9 is provided at a point intermediate its ends with an enlarged shoulder 13, which has a peripheral face tapered to correspond to the peripheral face of the shoulder 11, with which it is adapted to contact. Semi-circular pin receiving apertures 12 are provided in the peripheral face of the shoulder 13 and each is adapted to register with one of the apertures 12 formed in the pinion and to thereby provide a cylindrical, or, if desired, tapered aperture for the reception of a pin 14. An extension 15 is provided on. the shaft 9 and may, if desired, be of reduced diameter, as illustrated. This extension is so proportioned, as to its length, that it projects be yond the pinion when the shoulder 13 is in engagement with the shoulder 11.

The operatipn of securing the shaft 9 to the pinion consists in inserting it into one end of the pinion and moving its shoulder 13 into engagement with the shoulder 11 of the pinion; then turning the shaft relatively to the pinion so that each recess 12 registers with one of the recesses 12 formed in the inner face of the pinion shoulder; and then inserting a pin 14 in each registering pair of recesses. These pins may be driven home in any suitable manner, and a reference to the drawings will show that the recesses 12 and 12 are preferably inclined with reference to the axis of the pinion for the purpose of facilitating the operation of introducing the pins. After the pins are in place, a washer 16 is slipped over the extension 15 of the shaft and is moved therealong until it engages the shoulder 13 and the ends of the pins 14. A sleeve 17 is provided for holdlng the washer in place and is adapted to be slipped over the extension 15 and moved into engagement with the washer 16. The sleeve is preferably of such length that, when in place against the washer, it is engaged by a cap or plug 18 which may be slipped over the end of the shaft 9 and be inserted intothe end of the pinion. Any suitable means may be employed for holding the cap and also the sleeve in place, such, for example, as a nut 19, threaded on to the end of the extension 15.

With this construction the shaft 13 is rigidly secured to the pinion at an intermediate point and the torsional strains on the pinion are materially reduced and, if desired, a lighter construction may be employed for the pinionand also the shaft.

Any suitable means may be employed for coupling the freeend-of the shaft 9 to the apparatus to which it is adapted to be connected and the shaft will flex sufliciently to permit the pinion to move with its floating frame for the purpose of distributing the tooth pressures along the teeth of the intermeshing gears.

It will be understood that the point of connection between the shaft 9 and the pinion 4 may be at any suitable point along the pinion, and, if desired, may be midway between the sets of the gear teeth 8.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A gear having an axially alined central bore formed therein, and a shaft of less diameter than the bore projecting into it, and means for rigidly securing the shaft to the gear at a point midway between the ends of the gear, comprisin pins located in cooperating recesses forme in a shoulder on the shaft and an internal shoulder on the gear, and means secured in place at the end of the gear for locking the pins within the cooperating recesses. I

2; A gear comprising a continuous tubular member having two sets of gear teeth formed thereon and an axially alined central bore formed therein, a shaft of less diameter than the bore projecting into it,

provided with an axially extending central bore, a shaft of less diameter than said bore 15 projecting into it, and means for rigidly securing the end of the shaft to'the gear at a point intermediate the ends of the gear.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this twenty-first day of 20 November, 1913.

GEO. WESTINGHOUSE.

Witnesses:

A. G. UPTEGRAFF, R. E. Rooms. 

